


Sweeter Than Fiction

by magnusbicon



Series: Flufftober 2018 [13]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Communication, Fluff, Flufftober, M/M, Post-Episode: s03e01 On Infernal Ground
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-14
Updated: 2018-10-14
Packaged: 2019-08-01 18:45:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16289786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magnusbicon/pseuds/magnusbicon
Summary: “Tell me about young Alec,” Magnus requests. “You said you always dreamed of meeting someone like me. I suppose I just want to know what you pictured all those years.”





	Sweeter Than Fiction

**Author's Note:**

> Day 13: Dream

"Let me,” Alec says softly, his voice coming from the doorway to the bathroom. 

Magnus smiles, twisting around and holding the makeup wipe out to his boyfriend without hesitation. Alec points, and Magnus hops up onto the counter, hooking his ankles around the back of Alec’s legs. Alec cups his jaw in one hand and gets to work with the other, sliding the wipe across Magnus’ face.

Magnus lets his shoulders drop with a sigh, his eyes falling shut as they go through the familiar routine. It’s been a long day, full of pent up emotions and stilted conversation, and he’s ready to sleep the stress away and start a new chapter tomorrow. 

“You okay?” Alec asks tentatively, sweeping his thumb across Magnus’ skin.

Magnus contemplates this for a moment. There is still so much that he hasn’t said, so many fears and insecurities that he hasn’t had the time to delve into in his own mind, let alone with Alec. 

“No,” he answers slowly, the word leaving his throat in an exhale. “But I will be.”

Lips press to his forehead and he smiles, opening his eyes as Alec leans back.

“You do the mascara,” he says with a sheepish grin. “I don’t want to hurt your eyes.” 

Magnus shakes his head, a breathy laugh escaping him, and slides off of the counter. He takes the makeup wipe and turns to look in the mirror, his smile widening when he sees the black smears that now surround his eyes. Alec lingers behind him, his head resting against the wall and his arms behind his back. He looks completely content, and it makes Magnus’ heart drop to his stomach in the best way. 

“Tell me about young Alec,” Magnus requests as he rubs at his eye. He watches Alec’s eyebrows raise in surprise in the mirror’s reflection and turns slightly. “You said you always dreamed of meeting someone like me. I suppose I just want to know what you pictured all those years.”

Alec looks down as he thinks, and Magnus finishes removing his makeup, in no rush to interrupt or push him to answer. He throws the wipe into the trash can when he is done, then turns to face Alec once more, his hands working at undoing the buttons of his shirt. 

“It’s weird,” Alec says, gently pushing Magnus’ hands away and replacing them with his own. He slowly unbuttons Magnus’ shirt, his fingers steady as he speaks. “But I never had any sort of appearance in mind. It was just these...feelings. I used to close my eyes and imagine holding somebody’s hand, or I would play out all of these conversations in my head and convince myself that someone was actually listening to what I had to say. Now that I said it out loud it sounds pathetic.”

He pushes the shirt over Magnus’ shoulders, smoothing his hands across his warm skin, and Magnus shakes his head. 

“It’s not pathetic,” he replies, letting the shirt drop to the floor. “Shadowhunters aren’t known for being affectionate and attentive. Of course you’d feel starved for that kind of closeness.”

Magnus tugs at the hem of Alec’s shirt and he lifts his arms, allowing him to pull it over his head. They undress each other almost mindlessly, yet another routine that they fell into at some point since they got together, and a moment later they slide under the silk comforter. Magnus slides his fingers across the gold silk, and Alec’s meet them a moment later, twining them together. 

“I meant what I said,” Alec murmurs lowly, looking up at Magnus from beneath his lashes. “When I met you I was terrified, because I knew you were actually paying attention. You figured it out so quickly, and I just shut down.”

Magnus frowns, squeezing his hand tighter as he moves closer and entangles their legs. 

“But that was the dream. Someone  _seeing_  me.” Alec moves even closer, resting his head against Magnus’ pillow as he curves a hand around the back of his neck. “But you’re better than that dream. You’ve always seen me. You see everything. You see the world for what it is and you love it anyway, no matter how many times it gives you reason not to. You’re not just a dream. You’re everything that I had no idea I even needed.”

The sentiment brings tears to Magnus’ eyes, and he moves forward, slotting their lips together with a desperate hope that it will convey even half of what he is feeling. 

“You’re beautiful,” Magnus whispers when they pull back, his voice hoarse with emotion as his eyes flick back and forth between Alec’s own. “Inside and out. It isn’t just what I see. It’s what I know.” 

Alec’s eyes are teary when he closes them and buries his face into the crook of Magnus’ neck, and Magnus holds him close, his throat tight. They fall asleep just like that, with only one thought lingering in their minds. 

_Their reality is much better than any dream they’ve ever had_. 

**Author's Note:**

> Writing is hard and I'm tired, y'all. I hope this is okay. :'•)


End file.
